Hollow
by tres jolie
Summary: First FF, and I am very nervous about it  Please read, and rate! be gentle!     :"D
1. 1

Hai,

I am **really** , really new at this, so please be kind. ~

Original story, and I am studying English, so I used a thesaurus. xD please, please be nice.~\

The subtle lilt of the morning didn't seem to wake the sun, as it laid low beneath the overcast of the trees. The morning air was crisp and humid, a delicate breeze fluttered lazily past the awnings of the country home. Every window and thin, paper screen was pushed open, the strong smell of turpentine and sandalwood roughly clashed with the fresh summer air. Though the freshly wet ground had yet to bask in the warm glow of the sun, she had yet to fall asleep from the night before, much too engrossed in her project to waste precious time sleeping. She sat in the middle of the floor, enervated, but too determined to quit, as she slowly dragged a small blade across a rough wood block. Patiently, wood scraps fell, as her fingers worked expertly. The highlight of her day; to carve, and watch as the day passed, eat, head into town to sell her wares, then return home and repeat the process. Her old house creaked as the silent footsteps of the breeze walked circles around her. She stopped her tedious work to tilt her head back slowly, eyes peacefully closed, and drift off, her mind in a relaxed state. She was alone, but not really alone. Nature was always with her, so she always kept the doors open; she had nothing to fear. It was the ones like her, the greedy, the lustful, the humans who frightened her the most. The soft breath of the countryside whispered secrets and tales in her ear. _Tara...~_She smiled softly, and listened intently as the gust sent a grander view to her ear. _Tara..._ It said excitedly._ Yesterday was so warm. The clouds and I ran down to the river to cool off. He teased me about kissing the flowers each morning, so I pushed him into the river, causing the water to splash. Did you see it?_

Her fingers released the knife, and setting down the block, Tara opened her eyes, and stood up, her gaze inspired. Quickly, Tara grabbed her ink stone and calligraphy . Pulling the screen door shut, she delicately pressed the soft brushes against the transparent paper. Her gentle brush strokes replied to the grass, the sky and the trees. _I saw._ Her ink soaked almost immediately into the paper, bleeding through, the basic outline of flowers showing through. _I saw the bare sky exposing it's soul; the stars raining down in coloured drops. Did you know the stars and the rain are made of the same material? Rare silk from the empress's robes. The silkworms themselves, full of jealousy, while weaving her magnificent kimono, created a ladder, so delicate, any human cannot climb it, and hid away in the sky, hoarding their beautiful thread. But every once in a while, they share the strands with the rest of the world, but only for one night, and if you are lucky enough, you can catch it in your hands. _


	2. 2

Finishing her ink flowers on one screen, she stood at a distance and smiled. "There." she said quietly. "Now nature can see the beauty I view everyday." A large gust echoed through the wood, clacking the windows and wooden planks of the floor, so rapid as if it were applause. Tara looked around as the earth applauded her for the performance. Bowing deeply, she waved gracefully, smiling to her audience. Breaking her concentration, her stomach rumbled. Tara rubbed her stomach covetously. Slipping on her thin sandals, she scrunched her hair into a bun, securing it with her calligraphy brush, and searched for her butterfly bound paper book and ink palettes, tucking a tuft of silk cloth into her kimono sleeve. She left her house, sliding the doors behind her, but leaving the windows open, for the wind was always welcome, she lazily walked about the bouldered path, towards her daimyo capital, and town square.

_"Come try this! It's delicious! Fresh seafood; caught this morning!"_ Tara tilted her head, scrutinizing the people passing by, as she free-handedly sketched daily life in the capital. She yanked the tough grilled squid off the stick, as crowds cluttered her. _The floating world.. How beautiful and simple it is.. And the people in it don't realize they are inside._ She smiled dreamily, among all the noise, she found peace. _A sphere effect.._ she thought to herself, her wooden sandals clanking as she picked up speed, heading down to the Ukiyo-e district. Though it was mid-day, and the streets of the Ukiyo-e were deserted, it didn't stop business. Women, dressed lavishly, fiddled with their obis tied to the front. Slipping down the alley, Tara tapped nervously on the back-door. A few minutes later, a feminine looking man opened the door, his face half-covered in white paint. "Yes?" he asked, impatiently. Tara bowed quickly, then said, "I am here for the screen and wood block printing; I was hired by.." He interrupted her, a smile breaking his dull stare. "Matsuo! Of course; of course! Come on in!" he said, yanking her inside, with barely enough time for her to kick off her shoes. Behind the stage they walked quickly, the actor yelling for Matsuo. "Back here!" he yelled.

~I am so sorry this is short, but I have been very busy.~ A little shameless advertising, please be sure to follow me on my blog: .com

^_^ much appreciation


	3. 3

_"Come try this! It's delicious! Fresh seafood; caught this morning!"_ Tara tilted her head, scrutinizing the people passing by, as she free-handedly sketched daily life in the capital. She yanked the tough grilled squid off the stick, as crowds cluttered her. _The floating world.. How beautiful and simple it is.. And the people in it don't realize they are inside._ She smiled dreamily, among all the noise, she found peace. _A sphere effect.._ she thought to herself, her wooden sandals clanking as she picked up speed, heading down to the Ukiyo-e district. Though it was mid-day, and the streets of the Ukiyo-e were deserted, it didn't stop business. Women, dressed lavishly, fiddled with their obis tied to the front. Slipping down the alley, Tara tapped nervously on the back-door. A few minutes later, a feminine looking man opened the door, his face half-covered in white paint. "Yes?" he asked, impatiently. Tara bowed quickly, then said, "I am here for the screen and wood block printing; I was hired by.." He interrupted her, a smile breaking his dull stare. "Matsuo! Of course; of course! Come on in!" he said, yanking her inside, with barely enough time for her to kick off her shoes. Behind the stage they walked quickly, the actor yelling for Matsuo. "Back here!" he yelled.

In a whir of red and gold, Tara was thrust into a flash of allure; cascading hair tied elaborately into buns. Clouds of white powder, and river of white paint were patted delicately onto the faces of such beautiful people. Tara mouthed silently, as she was flung behind a screen. "A sphere effect." Her eyes drank in every detail of this place; she never wanted to leave. And just like that, the beauty was over, just a flash, a glimpse of what she could never have. Sitting on the floor, she opened her notepad, and patiently waited for her customer. The room was dimly lit with slits from the window, and a dying candle across from her. Her eyes had to get adjusted to such a bleary room, and soon, a screen door opened. "_Sorry for keeping you waiting._" a shadowed figure said softly. "It's nothing." Tara replied, squinting to distinguish the voice among the dark walls. "I didn't wait that long." The voice spoke again, the tone being low enough for her to distinguish that it was male. _"That's good."_The screen slid behind him once more, and Tara counted the steps as the sound of sliding fabric against the wooden floor gradually moved closer. She felt a tingle slither down her spine, her legs pushing her body back against the wall. "Could you perhaps-" She was silenced by the flick of a match; a flame, the only bright in such a dark space. It was brought close to his face, illuminating his snow white face.

As if he was swallowing the light, it was brought close to his mouth, then after a few seconds, was quickly shaken out. "Hmm?" he asked, blowing a misty cloud from his nose. Tara lost her confidence. "I-If you could perhaps, open the windows... I can't see my paper.." she requested staring at the floor. The shadow slowly rose. _"My apologies..."_ He said, the slits of the window opening slowly, revealing the radiance of the sun setting behind a teahouse. _"A lovely view, isn't it?"_ he asked, stifling his cigarette on the wooden floor. Tara turned to him, now able to see his face.


	4. 4

Long raven hair, porcelain skin, and beguiling eyes sat near the door. Shrouded in a formless red wrap, he never tore his gaze from her face. Tara, at a contrast, was blushing furiously, slipping her pen from her messy bun, her own mane covering her face. Quickly scribbling on her paper, she said, "So- that is the pose for your announcement?" she asked, hesitating, her nervous hand outlining his face. _"Hmm.. not quite.."_ Looking up, she saw Matsuo slipping his robes off his shoulder, sweeping his hair to the side. Peering over his shoulder, he asked, _"Can you do this?"_Her throat suddenly became dry, as she tried to speak. "R-right, then, I'll begin." The room was silent, as she concentrated on the portrait. The sun was setting quickly, she strived to finish before the room was once more black. "Almost done." she assured. Matsuo posed silently. Gingerly, touching his lips, he said, _"What is your name, painter?"_ Shading his kimono, she said softly, "I am Tara." Matsuo repeated it silently. _"Such a strange name." S_he said nothing, as he continued to talk. _"What origin is that name, Tara? It's certainly not from here. Though it is pretty."_ Tara looked up, then said, "I need you to stay still." Matsuo returned to his original pose, and apologized. Almost immediately, after she responded to his change in posture, the room was once more engulfed with shadows, and it was pitch black.

Setting her pen down, she apologized, then said, "It is too dark for me to draw." Matsuo didn't reply, the room was silent. "Sir." she asked, but once more it was silent. No longer did she hear footsteps and fabric on the lacquered wood, or the low crackling of incense. "Sir." A silky cloth ran across her hand, a faint gasp escaped her lips, and a oil lamp burned brightly above her head. Matsuo stretched above her, blowing out the ignited stick used to light the lamp. Recoiling his body, he confronted her, their faces extremely close. _"Can I see it?"_ he spoke enticingly. Looking down, she raised her notebook, a thin outline completed. His kimono covered both of him, his long fingers sifting through her hair. Tara felt a flush of crimson burn her cheeks._"The Sun has gone down, Tara."_ he smirked. She was silent, too astounded to move. Matsuo tried to keep conversation in a soft voice, his body still overshadowing hers. _"Where are you from Tara? Did you know you had an accent?_" Tara nodded. "I-I'm originally from the Senki daimyo district, near Osaka, but I moved to the countryside outside of Edo." Matsuo, no longer towering her, sat next to her against the wall, his hand still entangled in her hair. _"Osaka? I've never been there.. but then again, I haven't really ever left the capital."_ He took another glance at the notebook, then at the nervous girl. Tara gathered all her materials, then said, "Well, I should be going; I'll finish this tonight." With one slow stroke of his long sleeve, he cast the work across the room. _"Do it later."_ he whimpered.


	5. 5

He inched closer; Tara tried her best to shrink under the approaching man. "I-I..." she began to stutter, wincing from the remainder of alcohol on his breath. _"Fourteen for the night, with five every hour after that. If you want to be my only customer for the night, I'm going to need more..."_he spoke quickly, fiddling with her obi. Tara was frozen; she had only heard rumors about the shift of the entertainment district._"The rates of the okiyo have risen."_ "I don't have any money." she whispered softly under him, trying to push his hands away. Matsuo froze, then smiled and gently touched her chin. _"You're so adorable."_In her ear, his low voice trying to stay in a low tone. _"I'll do it for an free.. but you can't tell anyone."_he said, smirking in the dark. Tara's face burned with embarrassment as he spoke. Matsuo stood up to untie his own, and Tara dauntily eyed the door. Considering this was her time to escape, with no light, she crawled briskly across the floor, her fingers guiding her swift movements. Just as she grabbed her notebook, she felt a tight grip on her ankle. _"What are you doing?" he asked._Struggling, Tara cried,_"Let go! Please!"_Matsuo slowly began to drag her back._"I said there was no charge; an affair, Tara. Don't be scared."_the fabric of his sleeve entangled her leg just like his fingers. "Please.." she said. "I need my fare." Hesitating, he said,_"We can make a trade; for the portrait?"_A chord struck in her, her art, a currency for sex. An anger grew in her, a mixture of shame and embarrassment. Kicking frantically, she pushed away from him. Standing up, she yelled behind her as she ran away as fast as possible, "I'll return for my pay."

~again, really short, but it's almost break! ^_^ wish me luck!


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